Genre: YA/Contemporary Fiction/Speculative Fiction
Description:
“High schooler Nicole Hallett has just about had it with her brother
Jay, so when a mysterious man appears with an offer to replace him with a better
one, she doesn’t hesitate. Nicole has always been impulsive, but this time, she
finds herself in predicament far worse than anything she’s experienced. Just
like that, an average snow day—usually filled with hot cocoa and snowball
fights—is commandeered by the stranger, who forces the siblings into a
dangerous game.
Confronted by past reflections, tested by present complications, and
threatened by future possibilities, Nicole has until the end of the day to
disentangle the riddle of her life.
This suspenseful, yet winsome novel by award-winning author David J.
Naiman explores the power of family and forgiveness. But take heed. The truth
can cut like shards of glass, especially for those who’d rather avoid it.
Sometimes, only the finest lies will do.”
Author:
A physician specializing in internal medicine during the day, David J.
Naiman writes books under at least two different names. The books are sometimes
aimed at children, sometimes teens, and other times adults. He lives in Maryland
with his wife and two kids. For more, visit his website.
Appraisal:
With two teen protagonists this book is obviously aimed at a reader
many decades younger than I am. The lessons that the target audience might take
from this story fit them like a glove, but are still applicable to some degree
with those of all ages, even if the specifics might be a touch different. As
for the story itself, it’s a fun read and I was never sure where it was going. There’s
a twist to the story that takes this tale into a genre that I’m not sure what
to call it. I’ll go with Speculative Fiction (a catchall that covers both
Fantasy and Science Fiction) and stories like this that might not quite fit
either of those categories, but still come close.
Buy now
from: Amazon US Amazon UK
Format/Typo
Issues:
The version of the book I read for review was a pre-release ARC, but I
spotted no significant issues in this area regardless.
Rating: ****
Four Stars
Reviewed
by: BigAl
Approximate
word count: 65-70,000 words
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